The present disclosure relates to a toner case which contains a toner (developer), and an image forming apparatus which includes the toner case.
An electrographic image forming apparatus includes a developing device which develops a toner image on a surface of a photosensitive drum (image carrier) by using a toner supplied from a toner case. Further, the image forming apparatus includes a cleaning device which removes the toner remained on the surface of the photosensitive drum. The toner removed by the cleaning device is collected as a waste toner in a waste toner case.
There is a case where the image forming apparatus uses a toner case (empty case) which has supplied the toner to the developing device and has become empty as a waste toner case. In this regard, a supply toner case is attached to a toner case attachment part by orienting a toner supplying port downward. By contrast with this, the empty case (waste toner case) is attached to a waste toner case attachment part by orienting the toner supplying port upward.
Further, there is a case where a toner supplying cylindrical member includes a spiral toner feeding protrusion part protruding on an inner face of a surrounding wall. A plurality of toner supplying ports of small slit shapes are bored in the toner feeding protrusion part. A plurality of the toner supplying ports are formed in a range corresponding to a toner conveying roller. A plurality of toner supplying ports are arranged at equal intervals and with a phase shifted in a circumferential direction. One toner supplying port rotates (discharges a toner) while the toner supplying cylindrical member rotates once. The toner feeding protrusion part is formed to smoothly convey the toner.